The song was released as a digital download on 10 February 2017 through BMG Rights Management as the lead single from his third studio album Magellano (2017).

It won the Sanremo Music Festival 2017 and represented Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017, finishing in sixth place.

[2] In an interview with La Repubblica, Desmond Morris praised the song for the "clear and fanciful reference to the theories" described by him, and for "the precision and sophistication of the lyrics" like Bob Dylan and John Lennon.

[5][6] On 11 December 2016, Gabbani was confirmed to be one of the artists who would be competing in the campioni ("champions") section of the Sanremo Music Festival 2017.

[8] During his performance, choreographer Filippo Ranaldi appeared on stage and danced with Gabbani while dressed in a gorilla costume, which reprised the idea of the Naked Ape, also cited in the song's lyrics.

[9] On 11 February 2017, having advanced to the final, Gabbani defeated Fiorella Mannoia and Ermal Meta, winning not only the competition, but also the right to represent Italy at Eurovision 2017.

[15] During the TV program Standing Ovation (broadcast on Rai 1) Francesco Gabbani declared that the song would remain with the lyrics in Italian.